Development of Character and Life Skills through Islamic Methods of Teaching Acquired Science Subjects at Islamic International Schools in Malaysia

Abstract

Islamic Schools strive to achieve educational excellence while integrating religious values into their curriculum. Yet, what makes an Islamic school really “Islamic” is not just the content of the curriculum, but also the teaching methods employed by the teachers who are teaching religious and non-religious subjects which affect the whole implementation of the integrated curriculum.  The aim of this paper is to investigate the potential benefits of using Quranic and Prophetic Teaching Methods (QPTMs) in non-religious classes on developing the characters of students. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with 6 teachers teaching non-religious subjects in Islamic international schools in Malaysia. The interviews were transcribed and the data collected was analyzed by the researchers. The study analysis revealed that teachers of non-religious subjects in Islamic international schools believe that QPTMs contribute to students’ character development by inculcating characteristics and life skills. The findings of the study can draw the attention of integrated curriculum developers to the impact of including the QPTMs in teaching non-religious subjects in the inculcation of Islamic morals and developing the characters of the students. Key words: Islamic education, moral education, character development, teaching methods, integrated curriculum